VietNamNet Bridge – On October 15 more than 2,000 people stormed the Dat Mui clam breeding cooperative in the southern province of Ca Mau to steal clams. The farm guards and the local government were unable to protect the farm.

Ly Hoang Tien, Chairman of Ngoc Hien District in Ca Mau province, told reporters that more than 2,000 people flocked to the Dat Mui clam farm to take breeding and commercial clams.

Thousands of people used rackets and industrial tools to collect clams raised by members of the Dat Mui cooperative. 

Both guards of the farms and the local authorities were unable to stop the thieves. 

Mr. Le Phu Sanh, Director of the Dat Mui Cooperative, said the incident started mid-September. At first only a few dozen people broke into the farm. As they earned a lot of money from this, others followed. The number rose day by day, up to several thousands of people on October 15.

These people used their hands and machines to catch clams on an area of 200 hectares. As they were crowded, the farm guards and local police forces could not stop them.

Last week a fight between guards and clam thieves occurred, with three guards and one thief injured, Sanh said.

After catching clams in the farm, thieves sold products to traders on the spot, earning VND2 million (nearly $100) for 1kg of seeding clams. On average each thief earned VND500,000-VND1 million ($25/50) a day.

Dat Mui Clam Cooperative has 186 members, who invested VND11 billion ($500,000) into the farm. They said they lost about VND5 billion ($250,000).

Mr. Le Thanh Phung, Party Secretary of Dat Mui Commune, said the thieves included both locals and those from the neighboring provinces of Soc Trang and Bac Lieu. “They are ready to attack the government forces,'' said Phung.

The theft of clamswas a problem in Ca Mau and Bac Lieu in the past. In 2011, thousands of people flocked to rob clams of cooperatives in Ngoc Hien district.

In July this year, dozens of people flocked to an oyster farm in Lam Hai commune in Nam Can District of Ca Mau province to attack guards and steal oysters.

Nam Can District Police then prosecuted the case, with 30 people identified.

Linh Nhat